YouTube has announced new tools aimed at improving how creator content appears on television. The update enhances video resolution, channel discoverability, and shopping features as more users watch YouTube on TV screens.
According to Kurt Wilms, Senior Director of Product Management for YouTube on TV, the number of channels earning six figures or more from TV viewership has increased by over 45% in the past year.
Thumbnail and video resolution updates
YouTube is expanding the thumbnail file size limit from 2MB to 50MB, allowing creators to upload 4K-resolution thumbnails for videos. The company has also begun testing larger video uploads with select creators to support higher-quality originals.
A new AI-powered resolution enhancement feature is being introduced to automatically upscale videos uploaded below 1080p. This will initially improve videos from SD to HD, with plans to extend support to 4K.
Creators will retain full control over their content, with the option to opt out of enhancements. Both the original file and resolution will remain available, and the “super resolution” label will appear under playback settings for transparency.
Channel organization and search improvements
YouTube is refining how creator channels appear and function on TVs. Viewers will be able to browse channels with immersive previews on the homepage, improving navigation and content discovery. A redesigned Shows layout will allow creators to group related videos into organized collections suited for TV viewing.
The platform has also added contextual search prioritization. When a viewer searches from a creator’s channel page, videos from that channel will now appear at the top of the results, rather than being mixed with unrelated content from across YouTube.
Shopping and QR code integration
YouTube is extending its shopping tools to the TV experience. Over the past year, viewers have watched 35 billion hours of shopping-related videos, with a growing portion on TV. Tagged shopping videos will soon include QR codes, allowing viewers to scan and open product pages directly on their smartphones.
YouTube is also testing a feature that enables product highlights at specific, timed moments within videos. The feature aims to simplify the shopping process and support creators in driving viewer engagement and conversions from TV screens.
Availability
The new tools — including 4K thumbnails, AI video upscaling, channel previews, contextual search, and QR code shopping — are rolling out gradually worldwide.
Some features, such as larger video uploads and timed product tagging, are currently in testing with select creators, with wider availability expected in the coming months.